Desert restoration crews getting it done

A seven-member crew is restoring areas in the Dead Mountains, Piute Mountains,
Old Woman Mountains and Bigelow Cholla Garden in the deserts of Southern California.
The crews are supported by BLM's California Desert District and are making a
difference this year in the desert. (continued below first
photo)

Above: Two crew members distribute seed over vertical mulch and
pits dug near in the Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness Area. The pits will
collect water and -- along with native seeds -- encourage natural re-vegetation
of a way.

"We've encountered a variety of
different needs for restoration that range from old graded roadways that lead
to mines, to just a line through the crypto from a lone dirt-biker wandering
off course," said crew member Patrick Donnelly.

The restoration crew restored over 60 ways in the Old Woman Mountains, where
they have spent the bulk of their time. The restoration crews had to take into
account the elevation and proximity to mountains in determining what types of
vegetation to use. Bajada on the western side of the mountains is dominated
by creosote, but vegetation on the eastern side is more diverse - with yucca,
cholla, cat's claw and bittlebrush that provide a wide variety of choices of
vertical mulch.

"We've had some memorable times in the Old Womans," says Donnelly.
"Hiking into a deep canyon, we found a cactus garden with five different
species of cactus growing right next to each other!"

The crew - called "Restoration Crew V" - is currently working in
BLM's Needles resource area and hopes to complete restoration work by spring.

Below: the crew plants "vertical mulch" to hide the old route
and make it blend in with the surrounding desert.